I am not that fond of social media, but I do use it. Sounds a bit hypocritical, doesn’t it? I rather like the Facebook ‘Memories’ feature. It reminds me of what I was doing on that same date, in previous years. They are always happy memories. (I generally don’t post sad ones).
Last year at this time, for instance, I took a road trip with an old friend. We stayed overnight at an Eco-resort, a first for me. It was sublime. In the morning we took a walk through the forest and there was a surprise waiting for us, one that I wasn’t so fond of:

Instead of taking the highway home, we opted to follow some back roads. An unscheduled stop in a rural area, to check on a noise in the rear boot, (read: trunk if you are from the USA), led me to discover a surprising panorama. One that only the farmer and the cows might have shared:

However, a bigger surprise was to come a few miles north.
Can you guess what it is?

In Aussie lingo, it is known as the Kenilworth ‘Dunny.’
In a park prone to flooding (?!), a kilometre outside of the small country town of Kenilworth, Australia, a town known more for its prize-winning cheese, is a prize-winning Dunny, or public toilet facility.
180 people submitted their designs in a competition, run by the Town’s Council, for the creation of a new public – ah – monument. It was a local architectural illustrator, Michael Lennie, whose design titled Canistrum, Latin for a basket, that was selected.
At a cost of $600,000, the ‘Dunny’ was supposed to represent a basket – the basket being the history of the town and the unfinished basket supports the future history of the town, yet to be written.
But why yellow?
On pondering the glorious throne, of which I did not deem necessary to try out first hand, I pondered whether the artist was having a go at us, or maybe he was a ‘basket case?’ Lol.
The folks up that way do seem to have a wry sense of humour as the next surprise seemed to indicate.
This was spotted on the back road across the mountain.

Jurassic Park anyone?
If you haven’t already guessed, the theme this week for Friendly Friday is:
Surprise
Show us a Surprise photo or two, or three in a Friendly Friday Post?
Because everyone likes Surprises, don’t they?
Even if they are a prize winning public toilet facility.
Surprise Us!
How to Join the Friendly Friday Challenge
To participate in the Challenge this week, you need to:
- Create a Friendly Friday Post titled: ‘Friendly Friday – Surprise’
- Link back your post to this blog, forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com and Sandy’s blog. The Sandy Chronicles
- Tag your post, ‘Friendly Friday and ‘Surprise’
- Leave a comment below, so that the hosts and others can find your post (pingbacks don’t always work)
- Let the hosts know via the contact page if you would like to be featured as a guest blogger in future weeks. We publish a guest post once a month.

See you over at Sandy’s blog next week for the next Friendly Friday theme.
I’ve aways liked snakes so I would have liked to see that one, not too close of course. Also like the dunny a lot. I’d definitely have checked out the interior. Maybe the theme is continued inside. Here’s my offering: https://grahamsisland.com/2020/05/23/a-fisherman-and-his-catch/
LikeLiked by 1 person
My friend checked out the interior of the dunny, Graham. It was an anti-climax. No distinguishing features.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How disappointing. It would have been fun to have the basket theme carried on inside in a somewhat practical way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That failed in that. Architects!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Something a little different from me for this challenge:
https://davidmsphotoblog.com/2020/05/23/friendly-friday-surprise/
LikeLike
hahahaha would never have guessed what it housed.. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know, Lisa! It was so random, out in the middle of nowhere, outside the small town’s limits.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m also not a big social media user, but I do appreciate Facebook Memories. I love the reminder of where I was on a certain day (like you I typically only post positive memories). It’s also a great lesson in how quickly time flies and we shouldn’t waste (or wish away) a single minute/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Absolutely agree. Seeing how much time has passed can remind us to live in the moment and appreciate the moment.
For me, that is taking a moment to stand back, observe and take a snapshot of sights and sounds of a particular moment, with your mind. It seems to cement it in my consciousness and my mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apologies I seem to have also inadvertently created a pingback to another post for this weeks challenge as well as my original one – ‘Enveloping’ – please feel free to remove this link and this comment!
LikeLiked by 1 person
No worries. We all make mistakes.
LikeLike
Surprise
https://bushboy.blog/2020/05/25/surprise-3/
LikeLiked by 1 person
wow. well done bushboy
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi Amanda, Oh, an Australian surprise. I don’t think we have them get as big around here. The first time I am hearing about a “Dunny.” A monument. Hilarious. Funny description “glorious throne.” Your entire post made me smile. Thank you.🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
If I was able to make you chuckle, Eric/ka, my work was done! It makes my day when I have been able to bring a laugh/funny moment to another. Laughing is so therapeutic. The word Dunny is so iconically Australian. I don’t like the word and don’t use it generally speaking, but the term does have its uses when referring to colloquial Australian. Out of curiosity, I just looked up the origins of the word.
“The word comes from British dialect dunnekin meaning an ‘earth closet, (outside) privy’ from dung + ken ‘house’. First recorded in the 1930s but dunnekin is attested in Australian sources from the 1840s.”
That is a surprise! British in origin!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting! I often wonder what someone would think if they looked at my browser history when researching unusual information. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lots of surprises here! Love the basket one the most 🤣Here’s mine – https://myheart2heart.blog/2020/05/28/i-can-see-a-rainbow/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just made this week’s challenge. Thanks fir joining in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A last minute surprise 😅
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks forestwood, you kept the audience enthralled till the end with the surprise element. i’m trying to figure out how to be part of your challenge and would certainly love to participate. if you have any suggestions that would make it easy for me to get started, please share them. Meanwhile all the best in all things life and happiness.
LikeLike
I just found your comment, Sophie, in my spam folder and saved it. We have another challenge up now: https://forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com/2020/06/05/friendly-friday-weekly-challenge-the-colour-pink/
If you want to participate there are instructions on the post, and also here: https://forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com/instructions-for-the-friendly-friday-photo-challenge/
Hope to see you join in.
Amanda
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for sharing. Will check it out as soon as possible.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great!
LikeLiked by 1 person